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Missing University of Alabama Student Found Dead in Barcelona | Crime House 24/7
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- [00:02]
Vanessa Richardson
Hi listeners, it's Vanessa Richardson. Real quick, before today's episode, I want to tell you about another show from Crime House that I know you'll love. America's Most Infamous Crimes. Hosted by Katie Ring. Each week Katie takes on one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history. Serial killers who terrorized cities, unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, and investigations that change the way we think about justice. Listen to and follow America's Most infamous crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Crime House Announcer
This is Crime House.
- [00:52]
Vanessa Richardson
Good morning everyone. We have multiple breaking true crime cases this morning that you need to know about and we're starting with the biggest one. An American college student who vanished after a night out in Barcelona during spring break has now been found dead following days of an intensive search along the coast. This is crime house 24. 7, your non stop source for the biggest crime cases developing right now. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Vanessa Richardson and we have quite a lineup for you today. Here's what you need to know.
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- [02:43]
Vanessa Richardson
We're leading this morning with a tragic update to a developing story out of Barcelona, Spain, where authorities have now confirmed that a body recovered from the water on Thursday, March 19 is that of a missing and college student. James Jimmy Gracie, a 20 year old University of Alabama student from Elmhurst, Illinois had been the focus of an intense international search after he disappeared during a spring break trip earlier this month. According to officials, Gracie was last seen on Tuesday, March 17, around 3am after leaving the Shoko nightclub in Barcelona's Po Olympic district. In the days that followed, search teams concentrated their efforts along the nearby waterfront, an area where his phone and personal belongings were later recovered. Now, authorities say his body has been found near Somorostro beach, in the same stretch of coastline where those search efforts had been underway. Investigators have not yet publicly detailed a cause of death, and the circumstances surrounding how Gracie entered the water remain under investigation. At one point during the search, authorities in Barcelona said they were following several theories, including the possibility that foul play was involved. According to authorities and family statements, Gracie had been visiting friends who were studying abroad in Barcelona for spring break when he suddenly went missing. Jimmy Gracie was a junior at the University of Alabama, an honors student in the accounting program and by every account from the people who love him, exactly the kind of young man you would not expect to vanish without a word. He was the eldest of five children, an avid hockey player and the chaplain and philanthropy chairman of his Theta Kai fraternity chapter. His fraternity brother and chapter president Kevin McLay described him as, quote, the the guy that goes out of his way to be there when someone needs it. Gracie hadn't been in the city long. He had only arrived in Barcelona the morning before he went missing. That Tuesday evening, he went out with the group to Shoko, a nightclub in the Via Olympica area along Barceloneta Beach, a neighborhood popular with tourists. Somewhere in those early morning hours, he became separated from his friends. He was last seen by a friend at approximately 3:00am local time Tuesday, standing outside the club. He never returned to his short term rental that morning, and that was the last anyone heard from him. He was then reported missing. According to a Facebook post from his mother, Terese Gracie, he was last seen wearing a white T shirt, dark pants, likely joggers, and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. He stands 6ft 1 inch tall and weighs approximately 175 pounds. Therese Gracie later confirmed on Facebook that police had recovered his phone, which had been stolen. Then on Thursday came another grim development. Gracie's wallet was reportedly found floating in the sea near Somorostro beach, in the same area where maritime and aquatic units had already been deployed. Spanish newspaper El Perodico first reported the wallet's discovery, and Barcelona police confirmed it to investigators. The Catalan police force Mosos de is leading the investigation. Officers from the force's aquatic and underwater units had been conducting searches in the waters near the club using boats, divers, drones and helicopters, which led to the discovery of Gracie's body. Local media in Spain reported that Gracie was seen leaving the club with another person. Police have also been reviewing security camera footage from Shoko and from Barcelona's wider network of surveillance cameras in an attempt to reconstruct his movements. After 3am employees at Shoko confirmed to CNN that they turned over their CCTV footage to investigators, though it remains unclear what the footage shows. Gracie's father traveled to Barcelona to assist in the search. His uncle, David Gracie, a CNN senior producer based in Washington, said his nephew had a flight booked for Saturday to return to the United States. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin confirmed he's been in touch with the family, and the U.S. state Department said it was ready to provide consular assistance. The University of Alabama told CNN that staff are in contact with the family and offering support. In a statement released Thursday following the news, his family wrote, quote, we are so grateful for the kindness and concern that has been shown for our family during this incredibly difficult time. We have made the decision to pause media interviews at this time to focus on being together and caring for one another, end quote. This story is still developing. We'll bring you updates as they become available. And from a family still searching for answers in Spain, we now turn to a courtroom in Honolulu where a doctor is on trial accused of attempting to kill his wife on a hiking trail overlooking one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. On Thursday morning, opening statements got underway in Honolulu in The trial of 46 year old Gerhart Koenig, an anesthesiologist charged with second degree attempted murder for the alleged assault of his wife, 36 year old Ariel Koenig, on a hiking trail on the island of Oahu on March 24, 2025. Gerhart has pleaded not guilty and has been in custody since his arrest. A judge denied his motion to dismiss the indictment last month. The alle took place on the Pali Puka Trail near the Pali Lookout, a scenic overlook on the Ko Lau Mountains with dramatic views and steep drops. According to the probable cause statement for his arrest, Gerhardt allegedly pushed his wife and then hit her in the head with a rock approximately 10 times, all while allegedly grabbing the back of her hair and smashing her face into the ground. He also allegedly reached into his bag and attempted to use two syringes on her and Arielle told officers that the trouble began when Gerhardt asked her to take a selfie along the edge of the trail near a steep section of the mountain. When she said she didn't feel comfortable and began walking away. He allegedly yelled for her to come back. During opening statements, prosecutors alleged that Koenig grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her backwards towards the cliff and then into the bushes. Ariel fell to the ground. They started struggling and fighting. She managed to get away, but he allegedly followed, picked up a rock and began striking her. Two women witnessed the attack after hearing Ariel screaming, help. Help me. And running toward the sound. They told officers they saw the victim on her back with Gerhart on top of her, striking her in the head. After the incident, Gerhart fled but was arrested that evening after leading authorities on a brief pursuit near the Pali Highway. Ariel was hospitalized in serious condition with large lacerations to her face and head. She survived. According to court documents, Ariel contacted the Honolulu Police Department three days after the alleged incident after finding her husband's fanny pack. The bag contained his Kaiser Permanente id, several empty syringes and needles, and anesthesia medication, including Diprovan or Propofol. In a petition for a restraining order filed shortly after the arrest, Ariel said that Gerhardt had previously accused her of having an affair, which she said, quote, led to extreme jealousy on his part, end quote, and caused him to, try to, quote, control and monitor all of my communications, end quote. In her divorce petition, she also alleged that he had sexually abused and assaulted her. She filed for divorce in May 2025, and her attorney has said she intends to testify during the trial. The petition also said that after the alleged attack, Ariel found that Koenig had contacted his adult son, who is her stepson, on FaceTime, and admitted to trying to kill her before saying he wanted to end his own life by jumping a cliff. At the time of the alleged attack, Gerhart was working as an anesthesiologist at Maui Health. Following his arrest, Maui Health suspended his medical staff privileges at Maui Memorial Medical center, pending investigation. The trial is expected to draw significant attention as it continues in Honolulu. Will follow developments as they come from a trial just getting started in Hawaii. We move now to one already underway in Utah, where a nurse is accused of killing her closest with insulin in a case that prosecutors say was driven by greed and financial desperation. These days, I'm really focused on quality over quantity. I'm raising my standards, especially when it comes to my closet. If it's not well made and versatile, I just don't bother. That's why I love Quince. Their fabrics feel elevated, the cuts are thoughtful, and the pricing is surprisingly reasonable. They make wardrobe staples in 100% European, European linen, silk and organic cotton poplin. Their cotton cashmere sweaters are light, soft and perfect for layering this season and their spring colors gorgeous. Everything is designed to make getting dressed effortless. These are pieces built to last. Soft gauze that isn't flimsy, linen that holds its shape and stitching that really stands up over time. That cotton cashmere sweater I grabbed has become my daily Go to light luxe and exactly what I want. 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Vanessa Richardson
best price, we bring you a new development in a complex case we covered recently here on Crime House 247 in a Provo, Utah courtroom this week, jurors heard opening statements in the case of 48 year old Megan Sundwall, a registered nurse from Santa Quinn, Utah, charged with aggravated murder and obstruction of justice in the death of her 38 year old friend, Casey Lynn Terry of Highland, Utah. Prosecutors say Sundwal went to Terry's home on August 12, 2024 and injected her with a fatal dose of insulin, a drug Terry, who was not diabetic, had no medical reason to receive. When officers were called to the home, they found conscious and struggling to breathe with a diabetic needle nearby. She was later taken off life support and died. A post mortem autopsy confirmed she had no underlying health conditions, despite years of claiming otherwise. The motive, according to Deputy Utah County Attorney July Thomas, was money. Sundal had fallen into serious financial hardship after losing a job and a car, and Terry had repeatedly told her she was the beneficiary of a rumored $1.5 million life insurance. In one message, Sundwal allegedly wrote, quote, if you dying would get me out of this mess and darkness I am in, I would take it. End quote. Prosecutors say 283 messages were deleted from Sundwal's phone. The case carries an extraordinary layer of complexity because Terry herself, prosecutors say, had been deceiving the people around her for years. Thomas told the jury that Terry had falsely claimed to have cancer, going so far as to order saline to her home and administer it through a port, telling people it was chemotherapy. Her own family believed she was dying of cancer right up until she was hospitalized. Prosecutors argue that Terry's deception was a desperate attempt to keep Sundwall's attention and affection, but that Terry never actually intended to die and had no idea how far Sundwall would take things. In a chilling detail, Terry had reportedly told her sister she believed Sundwall was trying to kill her. The family helped her move out of Sundwall's home, but contact between the two continued, and on August 12, family members saw Sundwal arrive at the home where Terry was then staying. When they returned after multiple missed calls, they found Terry unconscious and Sundwal sitting there watching. No one called 91 1. A glucose monitor showed Terry's blood sugar had been checked 19 times over 10 hours, dropping from normal levels to those consistent with a coma, and then checked 10 more times after that. Prosecutors say Sundwal sat with her friend for at least seven hours as she slipped from confusion into unconsciousness. Sundwal's defense attorney, Scott Williams, argues that Terry was suicidal, that she'd been escalating for years, and that the evidence does not prove Sundwal administered insulin after Terry was already unconscious and unable to have done it herself. The defense has also alleged police had confirmation bias and failed to conduct key DNA tests. Jurors may be asked to consider assisted suicide as a lesser charge when they deliberate. The trial is ongoing in Provo. And our final story. The Duggar family, known for The TLC show 19 Kids and Counting is again at the center of deeply disturbing allegations. 31 year old Joseph Duggar, the former TLC reality star known from the long running series 19 Kids and Counting was arrested on Wednesday, March 18th by the Tony Town Police Department and is facing child sex abuse charges. He was booked into the Washington County, Arkansas Jail and is set to appear before a judge on Friday, March 20th where he will be asked to sign a waiver of extradition to Florida. The charges stem from allegations made Wednesday by a now 14 year old girl who told police that Duggar sexually assaulted her in Panama City Beach, Florida, Florida in 2020 during a 2020 family vacation when she was nine years old. Because the alleged incidents occurred in Florida, Tonti Town investigators contacted the Bay County Sheriff's Office, which issued the arrest warrant. Duggar faces charges of lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office. The girl told investigators of more than one instance of sexual abuse. The girl said the incident stopped after Duggar eventually apologized. Notably, the Bay County Sheriff's Office said Duggar admitted his actions to the victim's father and to Tonti Town detectives. Joseph Duggar and his family rose to fame through their TLC reality series 19 Kids and Counting. He's one of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's 19 children and grew up in a large, tightly structured household that emphasized religious faith, faith, homeschooling and traditional family roles. Joseph married Kendra Caldwell in 2017 and the couple has four children together. But the show isn't the only reason the Duggars have made headlines, and Joseph's case is not the first time the family name has been associated with child sexual abuse allegations. The original series was canceled by TLC in 2015 after revelations that the eldest Duggar son, Josh, had molested five children, including four of his sisters, when he was a teenager. And in 2022, Josh Duggar was sentenced to 12 and a half years in federal prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse imagery. He's currently serving that sentence at a low security institution in Texas.
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- [21:10]
Dr. Michelle Ward
criminal psychologist Dr. Michelle Ward, and on season nine of Mind of a Monster, we're bringing you the case of serial killer Michael Gargiulo.
- [21:18]
Vanessa Richardson
He either charms him because he needs him to do something, or he stalks him because he's gonna kill him.
- [21:23]
Dr. Michelle Ward
The repairman with Hollywood good looks who stalked and attacked his female neighbors in their own homes.
- [21:29]
Vanessa Richardson
The jury was shown the photos from her apartment, and it was just covered in blood.
- [21:34]
Dr. Michelle Ward
Listen to Mind of a Monster, the Hollywood Ripper. Wherever you get your podcasts before you
- [21:41]
Vanessa Richardson
go, let me tell you what else is happening at Crime House today. On Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes, we're looking at the strange and ambitious experiment known as the town of Pullman. In the late 19th century, railroad magnate George Pullman built an entire company town outside Chicago destined to house the workers who built his luxury rail cars. Pullman believed that if you could design the perfect environment, clean streets, orderly homes, parks, libraries, and carefully controlled businesses, you could also shape the behavior of the people who lived there. To Pullman, it was a model of industrial harmony. To many workers, it felt more like living under the watchful eye of their employer every hour of the day. Pullman's vision wasn't unique. Throughout history, powerful individuals and organizations have tried to build communities designed around their own idea of how people should live, work, and behave. Some were driven by idealism, others by profit, and many by a mix of both. But time and time again, these carefully engineered societies ran into the same problem. Real people rarely behave the way their designers expect. Here are five Communities built around someone else's idea of a perfect society. Fordlandia. In 1928, automobile pioneer Henry Ford launched an ambitious project deep in the Brazilian Amazon. The goal was to establish a rubber plantation that would supply Ford's factories without relying on overseas markets. But Ford didn't just want rubber. He wanted to recreate a version of small town America in the middle of the jungle. The settlement, called Fordlandia, was designed with American style homes, manicured lawns and a strict set of behavioral rules. Alcohol was banned. Workers were expected to follow rigid schedules. Even leisure activities were organized to reflect Ford's Midwestern moral values. The problem was that Fordlandia existed thousands of miles from Michigan in a tropical rainforest. Workers struggled with unfamiliar food, harsh working conditions, and an inflexible management system that ignored local customs. Tensions boiled over in 1930 when Brazilian laborers rioted against company supervisors. By the time Ford abandoned the project years later, Fordlandia had become a symbol of how even the most confident industrial vision can collapse when imposed on a place that refuses to conform. The oneida community in 1848, a religious reformer named John Humphrey Noyes founded the Oneida community in upstate New York. Noyes believed that society could be perfected by eliminating private property and traditional family structures. Members of the community lived communally, shared resources and practiced what Noyes called complex marriage, a system in which relationships were regulated by the group rather than individual couples. Children were raised collectively and members were encouraged to participate in daily meetings where their behavior could be openly criticized in a practice known as mutual criticism. Despite the unusual structure, the Oneida community was economically successful. Members manufactured goods, including silverware that would later become a well known brand. But the social experiment proved difficult to sustain. Internal tensions grew outside, criticism intensified and eventually the community dissolved in the late 19th century. What remained was one of the most unusual attempts in American history to engineer a perfect social system. Hershey, Pennsylvania. Milton S. Hershey, founder of the Hershey Chocolate Company, had a very different vision of the perfect. At the Beginning of the 20th century, Hershey built a town in rural Pennsylvania designed to house workers at his chocolate factory. Unlike many industrial towns of the era, Hershey's model focused on quality of life. The town included parks, schools, public transportation, and cultural amenities such as theaters and recreation centers. Hershey believed that happy workers would also be productive workers. For decades, the town was seen as one of the more successful company communities in American history. Residents enjoyed a level of st and comfort that was unusual in factory towns. But even this more benevolent model raised questions about the influence of corporations. Over everyday life. When the company controlled housing, employment, and local infrastructure, the line between community and company operation could easily Blur. Oroville in 1968, a visionary project began in southern India called Oroville. Conceived as an international township dedicated to human unity, Auroville was intended to be a place Place where people from different nations could live together beyond politics, religion, and national identity. The settlement was founded with support from UNESCO and the Indian government and attracted residents from dozens of countries. Its design emphasized sustainability, communal decision making, and experimental architecture. But building a global utopian city proved far more complicated than the vision suggested. Disputes over governance, finances, and authority emerged almost immediately. Questions about leadership and direction led to conflicts between residents and the organization managing the project. Today, Oroville still exists, housing thousands of residents who continue the experiment. But its long history of internal disagreements highlights how difficult it can be to translate utopian ideals into a functioning society. Kohler, Wisconsin in the early 20th century, the Kohler Company, known for manufacturing plumbing fixtures, built a planned village in Wisconsin to house its workforce. Town of Kohler was designed to reflect the company's belief that a stable community would create a stable workforce. The company invested heavily in infrastructure, including parks, schools, and cultural institutions. Homes were well maintained, Streets were carefully planned, and the town developed a reputation for order and cleanliness. But like many company towns, Kohler raised questions about power and independence. When a corporation builds and maintains the town where its employees live, the company inevitably shapes the rules that govern govern daily life. While Kohler has endured longer than many similar communities, it remains an example of how industry has sometimes attempted to shape not only work, but the entire environment surrounding it. Designing a community on paper is one thing. Living inside it is another. Many of these experiments begin with idealistic goals, Healthier workers, harmonious societies, or economic stability. But when a single leader or organization determines how thousands of people should live, the system can can quickly become rigid. Residents may resist rules that feel intrusive. Economic realities can undermine carefully crafted plans. Cultural differences may clash with imposed structures. What begins as a vision of order can become a struggle between the planners and the people expected to follow their design. The town of Pullman was meant to demonstrate how industry could build a model society. Instead, it became a lesson in how difficult it is to control the lives of an entire community. For the full story of the Pullman experiment and the conflict that eventually erupted there, listen to today's episode of conspiracy theories, cults, and crimes. Because sometimes the most revealing experiments in human history are the ones that tried to create perfection and discovered how complicated people really are. You've been listening to crime house 247 bringing you breaking crime news. I'm Vanessa Radio Richardson will be back Monday morning with more developing stories. Stay safe and thanks for listening. Lifelock. How can I help? The IRS said I filed my return, but I haven't.
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Vanessa Richardson
listening to today's episode. Not sure what to listen to next? Check out America's Most Infamous Crimes, hosted by Katie Ring. From serial killers to Unsolved Mysteries and game Changing Animals investigations, each week Katie takes on a notorious criminal case in American history. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes now. Wherever you listen to podcasts,
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